Placer mining device



M 14, 1946- V.C.M =KENZ1E m. 2,400,429

PLACER MINING DEVICE Filed Aug. 12, 1945 FIG. 1.

FIG. 2.

V. T, I B M KmvENTpRs. 1. or c. 21121 E's jinn J. TIn-Kanzi ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 14, 1946 PLACER MINING DEVICE Victor Clyde McKenzie and Nelson J. McKenzie, Boise, Idaho Application August 12, 1943, Serial No. 498,362

1 Claim.

' In prospecting for gold and other minerals as well as precious and semi-precious stones, in socalled placer mining, the prospectors pan has been made generally of metal, such as tin, steel, brass or copper, with the characteristic color of any one of such metals being, of course, the color of the pan, and when the pan is employed fairly constantly, it takes on a metallic luster, and both of these characteristics contribute toward preventing some of the material from showing up distinctly in the pan. This has been found the case in prospecting for native silver or platinum, for lead, zinc antimony, tin, for many of the sulphides, for tellurite of gold and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a device which will show up clearly by a contrast of color between the color of the device and that of the metal in the device.

Not only does this novel device provide a means for readily discerning the metals, but it also provides a rustless surface upon which the metals will lay, and a surface not readily pitted nor roughened. This is particularly important when prospecting for the finer metals and lighter weight sulphides.

Also among the objects is to provide a lightweight, readily-fashioned pan, free of rolled edges and corners.

Other objects and advantages of this inven- 'tion will be apparent in the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a partof this specification, and in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the novel device.

Figure 2 is a vertical section thereof on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the two views, the novel device is shown as panshaped with a substantially smooth, fiat, imperforate bottom wall 5, and an upwardly and outwardly sloping circular smooth, imperforate wall 6. Preferably the walls 5 and 6 join each other by a curved portion Land the rim or edge 8 may be rounded as shown. Thus there is provided an imperforate, smooth surfaced receptacle.

It is preferred to construct the device in one piece of a hardened plastic, although it may be made of two halves, suitably joined together to form a leakless receptacle. A novel, characteristic of the device is to provide at least two distinctly different solid colors for at least the inner face, of the device. In the example shown, these colors are black and white, each covering substantially one-half of the area of the inner faces 9 of the walls 5 and 6, divided by a diametrically-disposed line l0 extending from one rim or edge 8, along a portion of the wall 6, over the bottom wall 5, across the center thereof, and up a portion of the wall 6, opposite the first portion mentioned, to the rim or edge 8. Preferably, the separate colors extend right through the plastic from the inner face 9 to the outer face I I of the device.

While the contrasting colors, black and white, are preferred, light yellow may replace the white and grey or brown may replace the black.

Preferably, the plastic is one not physically affected by water or chemically affected by the material being mined.

In use, as the device, containing water and solid material, is rocked, the solid material will move from one side of the device to the other and such material as is less readily recognized when over one of the colors (asdark colored materials overthe black colored area) will stand out sharply when moved over the white area. Light colored materials, such as silver, will stand out sharply over the black colored area. It is important that the contrasting colors extend not only over and through thebottom wa11'5 but also over and through the wall 6 so that material upon the wall 6 will not be accidently washed over the rimor edge 8. 7

The use of plastics, particularly lusterless plastics, provides an inexpensive medium for the construction of the device and substantially all metals which may be mined by the use of the device, as well as reagents, will have no chemical effect upon the material making up the device. Absence of shiny metal. in the construction of the device obviates the sometimes blinding glare of sunlight reflected from metal or glass surfaces.

The device, being of hardened plastics will not rust, and there will be no pitting nor roughing of the surface of the device.

Various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claim.

What is claimed is:

A prospectors pan, comprising a shallow pan body, at least the surface of the inner face thereof being smooth and divided into two equal sized areas of contrasting colors, one area being wholly black and disposed to one side of a straight line extending diametrically across the inner face thereof and the other area being wholly white and disposed to the other side of said line.

VICTOR CLYDE MCKENZIE. NELSON J. MCKENZIE. 

